COMP 2923 A2Impact of IT Consumables

Danny SilverJSOCS, Acadia University

Sales of computers is Staggering

Computer Manufacturing

• Average 24 kg desktop computer with display• Requires 10 times its weight in fossil fuels and

chemicals to manufacture• Automobile or refrigerator, requires 1-2 times

their weight in fossil fuels• One desktop and 17-inch CRT monitor uses:– 240 kg of fossil fuels, 22 kg of chemicals and 1,500

kg of water – a total of 1.8 tonnes of materials.

Computer Manufacturing

• The combination of – high-energy manufacturing process – short lifespan of computer use

• Raises computer lifetime environment-related energy impacts to about the same level as a refrigerator

Carbon Footprint of Computers

• http://www.dell.com/learn/us/en/uscorp1/corp-comm/environment_carbon_footprint_products

Packaging

• Green Packaging: Waste Not, Want Not– http://www.inboundlogistics.com/cms/article/gre

en-packaging-waste-not-want-not/

EPEAT

• Managed by the Green Electronics Council, Portlans, Oregon

• EPEAT is a comprehensive global environmental rating system that helps purchasers identify greener computers and other electronics

• http://www.epeat.net/about-epeat/ • http://www.epeat.net

Recycling End-of-Life Electronic Equipment

• Natural Resurces Canada - Recycling End-of-Life Electronic Equipment– http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/mining-materials/market

s/recycling/8422

• Dell -Legal & Regulatory Compliance– http://www.dell.com/learn/ca/en/cacorp1/corp-c

omm/canada-recycling-laws

Workshop

• Who makes the most environmentally friendly IT:

• Samsung• Apple• Dell• Others ??

The Impact of Printers

• Printers (like most PC components) have three stages in the product life cycle – each with different environmental impacts:– Creation – extraction of raw materials and manufacture of the

printer– Use – the use of consumables– Disposal – recyle, reuse

Source: http://businesslatitude.blogspot.com/2008/01/its-new-year-and-among-my-many-new.html

Printer Creation

• Many printer companies (Xerox, Canon, HP, Epson, Bother and Lexmark) have environmental policies and management plans that deal with sourcing raw materials and the manufacturing process (meet ISO 14001 environmental practices) :– Make energy efficient printers– Use recycled plastics and parts– Have a program for end-of-life disposal of

cartridges and printer bodies

Paper Consumption

• Paper is the biggest cause of printer-related carbon emissions– 500 pack of paper responsible for 30.5 lbs of released CO2– Carbon Rally.com - http://www.carbonrally.com/challenges/

• Buy recycled - for drafts, recycled paper works great• Use both sides of the paper before putting it into the

recycle bin – Collect paper with print on one side for use in dedicated

‘drafts’ printer (refilled/recycled cartridges, draft ink setting)

• Recycle your paper in the blue bins / bags

Methods of Reducing Paper and other PC Consumables

• Add a standard email footer asking people not to print unnecessarily *THINK GREEN – READ IT ON THE SCREEN*

• Change default printer settings to be double sided printing• Replace older printers with more efficient devices such as

Multi-Functions Printers (MFPs)• Replace faxes with paperless solutions such as fax-to-email• Replace copiers with scanners (scan and email)• Replace paper memos with email• Switch customer and supplier communications to email and

extranet systems such as e-billing, e-purchasingSource: http://www.myecoworld.net/green_computing/green_computing.aspx

Paper Consumption

• Paper over-consumption: An Intervention• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adtSq1UZRxg

• How to Reduce Your Paper Waste• http://www.5min.com/Video/How-to-Reduce-Your-Paper-Waste-148694844

Reduce Printer Use

• Ask your self “Do I need to print at all?”• Replace hardcopies with appropriate archive

and backup systems• Print to PDF/JPG/XPS files to check the layout

of your doc - often much quicker than printing• Become friends with the draft function of the

printer settings.

Printer Consumable

Ink Consumables:• Most businesses recycle laser toner cartridges• Ink jet cartridges can be recycled too• Refilled for costs savings or the components recycled• Set up a draft printer for non-critical prints• Don't use colour unless you really need it• Buy a printer that enables the colour cartridges to be

separated

Printer Disposal

• Printers are not made for the landfill• Most of the major manufactures / stores will

accept your printer– Recondition the printer for second hand use or

separate the printer components for recycling

• Avoid “recyclers” who ship to other countries

Do you have any of this at home?

Computer Disposal

• Monitors and PCs contain significant quantities of heavy metals such as:– lead, mercury, cadmium and chromium

• Pose potential health risks to production workers and environmental risks to water supplies near landfills where they are eventually dumped

Printer Consumable

Ink Consumables• Planet Ark will take any cartridge you have - toner or

ink jet - in their “Cartridges 4 Planet Ark” program (http://www.planetark.org.au/campaignspage.cfm/newsid/5/story.htm).

• 50% of cartridges receive are sent back to the major manufactures and the cartridge and ink recycled

• 50% get separated into components and made into products like e-wood (ink used to colour the “wood”)

Recycling IT Hardware

• How to safely dispose of IT equipment– http://www.businessgreen.com/business-green/video/2251118/busin

essgreen-com-top-tips

• Electronic Recycling Problems / Solutions– http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHTWRYXy2gE&feature=fvw– http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3M5dW8OPBTw&feature=related

• Secure Destruction of IT Components– http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9HWbBZ8Spw

Prior Studies

• Environmental Impact of Computer Information Technology in an Institutional Setting: A Case Study at the University of Guelph – http://www.uoguelph.ca/isc/documents/

050602environcs_000.pdf

• Managing the environmental impact of information and communications technology (ICT)– http://www.finance.gov.au/agimo-archive/better-

practice-checklists/docs/Environment_Checklist.pdf